This invention relates to swings, e.g., for use in children""s play areas.
Playgrounds and other play areas for children include various types of swings. Some play areas include what are commonly referred to as xe2x80x9ctire swings.xe2x80x9d Such swings include a seat, which may be a vehicle tire (hence the name of the swing), suspended from an overhead support by flexible suspension lines, typically ropes, chains or cables, with its side surface disposed in a generally horizontal plane. The lines support the seat in a manner to permit the swing to move in all directions, including in a circling motion.
Other types of swings are designed primarily for back-and-forth movement, in an arc through a plane, swinging back and forth about an overhead pivot point in the manner of a pendulum. While these swings can sometimes be rotated or moved in other directions, their mounting does not facilitate such movements.
The invention features a swing having selectively reconfigurable mounting from an overhead support, for use in different modes of swinging operation. For example, the swing can be selectively mounted for use in a circling mode or a back-and-forth mode. Thus, a single swing can be used for different types of play and can be adapted to the changing preferences of the children using the play area.
In one aspect, the invention features a children""s play swing including (a) a plurality of upper suspension lines configured for mounting to an overhead support; (b) a plurality of lower suspension lines suspended from the upper suspension lines; (c) releasable fasteners configured to releasably connect first lower ends of the upper suspension lines to free upper ends of the lower suspension lines, to allow the number and arrangement of the upper suspension lines to be altered to change the mode of operation of the swing; and (d) a seat suspended from lower, second ends of the lower suspension lines.
Some implementations include one or more of the following features. The play swing further includes releasable support fasteners configured for releasable connection of second, upper ends of the upper suspension lines to an overhead support. The seat has a general tireshape. The play swing includes four lower suspension lines. The lower suspension lines are attached to the seat at regularly spaced intervals. The lower suspension lines are attached to the seat at regularly spaced intervals corresponding to quadrants of the seat. The play swing further includes a swivel element releasably connecting lower suspension lines and upper suspension lines. The releasable fasteners include carabiners. The upper suspension lines and the lower suspension lines comprise ropes.
In another aspect, the invention features a method for selectively mounting a play swing for different modes of operation, including the steps of: (a) mounting, to an overhead support, upper ends of upper suspension lines of a swing assembly, the swing being suspended from lower ends of lower suspension lines, the upper ends of the lower suspension lines and lower ends of the upper suspension lines being releasably joined by releasable connectors, (b) for selectively mounting the swing for swinging in a first, back-and-forth mode, joining the upper ends of a first pair of adjacent lower suspension lines to a lower end of a first upper suspension line at a first releasable connector and joining the upper ends of a second pair of adjacent lower suspension lines to a lower end of a second upper suspension line at a second releasable connector, and (c) for selectively mounting the swing for swinging in a second, circling mode, joining the upper ends of the lower suspension lines to the lower ends of the upper suspension lines at a releasable connector.